HEALTH bosses are drawing up an action plan to tackle the alarming number of unplanned teenage pregnancies in Radcliffe which is the highest in the borough.

In one part of the town, the teenage pregnancy rate is DOUBLE the national average.

Now health experts are trying to raise awareness of the problem among young people.

Representatives of the Young Persons Advisory Service (YPAS), councillors and health experts will meet on Tuesday (Oct 16) to discuss a plan of action.

Nationally the average number of pregnancies is 45 per 1,000 teenagers. Figures reveal that in Radcliffe South the number is 99 and in Radcliffe Central it is 72. Only Radcliffe North falls in line with the national average, with a figure of 45. YPAS co-ordinator Mark Limmer said that teenage pregnancies were linked with deprivation and low academic aspirations. In addition, the children of teenage parents were more likely to continue the cycle.

He said: "It is clear that we need to focus on Radcliffe and develop a strategy.

"The most important thing is to get information across to the town's teenagers and to this end we will be involving the young people themselves. There is absolutely no point in inflicting a service on them that they will not use."

Mr Limmer added: "They need to know there is somewhere they can go to talk about their issues and to seek advice and information in confidence."

He said: "A lot of teenagers don't realise the implications of having a baby. At one end it curtails their social life and at the other it can mean them missing out on their education, so they are less likely to go to university and fulfil their career potential."

Radcliffe Area Board co-ordinator Ros Glover said boys too would be targeted by the project: "They also need someone who they can go to for counselling and to discuss relationships as well as somewhere where they can get information."